


Snowdrop (Levi Ackerman - Attack on Titan)

by pandorahurts



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fanfiction, Horror, Romance, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-01-24 05:45:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18565147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorahurts/pseuds/pandorahurts
Summary: "Eirlys is a flower growing on a battleground, and Levi is terrified that she'll get picked."A story of a waitress-turned soldier and a customer who never really leaves. Eirlys Llewellyn, passionate trainee in the defence of humanity; and Levi Ackerman, who just sticks around for a good cup of coffee.





	1. beer mugs and coffee jugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eirlys Llewellyn officially meets Levi, just Levi.

Heat poured into the crowded tavern with each new body seeking shelter from the summer's sun. Steam rose from piping mugs and jugs, freshly brewed, and a lingering aroma of coffee beans flittering through stagnant air. Sloppily, beer splashed from clinking glass to glass in the hands of drunken men and, slipping through the sweat-clad mass, a daring waitress attempted to quell the rowdiness of the evening's intoxication. 

"Love, another one over here!" Beckoned a slurred voice, empty glass thrust upwards to the air for her to fetch. "Where is the food I ordered?" Rang another, barely audible amongst the chaotic ramblings and sea of bodies towering above the server's head. Scrambling to balance trays and plates and cups, the waitress danced between flailing limbs and the requests of each table. Stale air taking its toll, a sheen of sweat coated her forehead brazenly as she darted obediently to the bar, and then the kitchen. 

"Eirlys, what's taking so long?" With the impatience of her employer, she shuddered in the stifling heat; the gruff scolding caused hearty laughter to erupt through the room and taunt the faces of amused onlookers.

"Just a minute!" Eirlys called back, her voice lost in the conversations of bigger and bolder men. Tightening the unkempt fabric of her apron, the plate was acquired and final customer served. Panting gingerly for air, Eirlys rolled the tension from her shoulders and pressed at stiff joints in relief. The work was undoubtedly tiring, but she refused to let the financial burden rest solely on her brother. Despite the leers from older men and unwanted hands that crept near skirts when distracted, there was no room for complaints; the recent shortage of jobs meant women were fortunate to merely be considered, even if the description partly required entertaining unwanted advances. 

Amongst the brutish hoard, a tender smile appeared when the waitress met eyes with a stranger across the bar. His usual table, a secluded corner, is where he lounged. Legs crossed at the ankles and resting on an opposite chair, his brows seemed to furrow in disgust at the stench of sweat and unbearable heat. Even his neatly parted hair stuck grittily to his forehead and top shirt buttons were uncharacteristically open to relieve the constricting material. He seemed miserable. 

Eirlys laughed on approach, her eyes lighting up at the sole customer who she knew wouldn't cling at her waist or drop his eyes a little low. "Not a fan of the heat, I take it?" Jested the server, her own body damp and cheeks glazed red in contrast to usual paleness. 

The man huffed warm breaths and ran his hands through his hair roughly. "I feel disgusting." He spat, tugging at another disheveled shirt button to reveal more skin beneath. He wasn't a regular, but he stopped by whenever he was in town, often passing a word or two with the waitress who welcomed any decent company. Eirlys wouldn't deny that she found him charming, despite his crude manner, but she'd yet mustered the courage to ask his name.

"That makes two of us." Came the reply with averted eyes, flustered cheeks disguised by the heat. "I'll go get you something to drink." The man watched as she disappeared into the mess of bodies, not missing the drunken stares of that lingered after her.

Eirlys returned with a cool glass of water in one hand, and regular order of black coffee in the other. "For you, Sir." She teased, sliding them on the table and taking a seat, unoffered to her, across from the customer. Her company raised his eyebrows at the advance, before sipping wordlessly at his drink. 

The bold chatter had died, with the orange glow of the evening creating a more mellow haze that settled the once rowdy tavern. The stragglers that remained were either too drunk to leave or too placid to cause much ruckus. Eirlys was thankful for the quiet and a chance of deserved rest. 

Tucking stray hairs behind her ear, she became acutely aware of her company and a little flustered at the proximity they shared; perhaps she'd been a little too brazen in her approach. Eyeing the man, his dull eyes seemingly uninterested, she finally posed her question; "Are you in the Survey Corps?"

Her companion glanced over his tea cup at the uneasy waitress, jittering between nerves and excitement. "And what if I am?" He retorted, void in any hint of emotion.

Eirlys suddenly felt quite embarassed, feeling she'd overstepped her mark as a waitress to a customer. "Forgive me for being rude," she started, avoiding the other's intent eyes. "I just though that I saw you in the street, in your uniform, the week before last." 

Not attempting a response, silence soon loomed over the corner table and stiffly sat in the air between the two. Eirlys cleared her throat nervously and continued. "I'd really like to join the Survey Corps one day, y'know?" 

This, however, did warrent a response. Unable to retain his usual composure, the other placed his mug down a little too forcefully, clumsily hitting the table with an abrupt clank. Eirlys startled and immediately felt her skin flush, considering the man's response. "Don't." Came the reply without delay. "It's no place for someone like you."

Although lacking any malice in his voice, Eirlys couldn't help the pain it caused her. He looked down into his cup, caressing it with both hands and allowing his slightly messed hair to frame his face. Silence hung tentatively in the air once again, with the man breaking it this time.

"What's your name?" In an apologetic gesture, he reached out to the girl who's dreams he'd dismissed, hoping she'd not taken his words as bluntly as he'd said them. She looked hesitant at first, shaking off the remnants of disappointment and replacing them with a heartfelt smile. "Eirlys." She spoke, voice clear and sweet. "My name is Eirlys Llewellyn."

The other nodded, repeating the name brokenly. "Eir-lys?" It was clumsy, fumbled and spoken more like a question than with confidence; the sounds were aparently foreign to his mouth. "Lle-" he paused tentatively, mouth slightly ajar and confusion on his face rather than the usual stoicism. "How the fuck do you say that?"

Covering her mouth daintily with her hand, Eirlys laughed not so daintily for the whole room. It was loud and consciously beautiful. All mixtures of giggles and a snort once of twice, and the man was sure he saw tears well up at the corners of her eyes.

As the sun began to set over the heat soaken pub and gaggles of men filtered out into the openness of the streets, the air cooled with gentle breeze and a quietness marked the end of a night's shift. 

Eirlys' customer stood up from his seat, collecting his discarded jacket and setting the money he owed on the table, the tip being more than his bill. He wasn't much taller than Eirlys but quite broad and muscular, yet didn't intimidate her like many other regulars. Seeing him to the door, the waitress leant against the frame as the man breathed in his last scent of coffee.

"So, what's your name, stranger?" The question, seemingly impossible a few hours earlier, rolled off her tongue with ease, naturally. 

A quick breeze scuffled by, making Eirlys hold down her skirts despite hair tangling before her face. The rowdiness of the day had tamed to a gentle night, with the flickering of amber gas lights illuminating the two shadows below.

Stranger shrugged on his jacket, no smile in return or any contribution to the playful exchange. 

"Levi." He answered, "Just Levi."


	2. a hard tea to swallow

Eirlys willed her tired legs to move, trodding heavily down the winding backstreets after a busy night's shift. Yet even so, her heart felt lighter than usual. With each sunken step, she deliberated over feelings of fondness towards the man whose name she now had the privilege of knowing. Whether it be from the aching need for friendship or perhaps a sweet spot she held for the other, the evening had definitely quenched her thirst for true company in a place where she was only seen as a 'male companion.' 

She wasn't one to daydream, admittedly, having so steadfast faced reality from a young age, yet the waitress couldn't help but mull over the encounter, as fresh in her mind as newly brewed coffee. Yes, she accepted, Taliesin would surely hound at her about this. There could be no denying something had happened; her cheeks alone betrayed the fact.

In the quiet of the night, the young lady approached the cottage perched on the square's corner. It wasn't much to look at. Well, nothing in the surrounding area hardly classed as fine architecture. Yet, crumbling as it was, with white speckled paint fading to grey and her recent-planted roses already having seen better days, it was her home. From the small window emanated a warm haze of flickering light, guiding her path through the blackened square. It was something he always did, that is, leaving the lantern burn dimly near the sill until Eirlys arrived safely back to him. It always made her work feel worth the taunts and harassment, knowing she had the love and care of her brother to return home to. Opening the door, Eirlys was instantly greeted with the habitual aroma of green tea, her brother's favourite for passing the evening. Bitter and strong, she agreed that the flavour suited his personality quite well. She perhaps wondered what tea one may consider her to resemble, but then realised the question was quite an odd one. 

Taliesin sat hunched over the tattered oak dining table, boots kicked off near the fireplace and jacket strewn neglected on the floor. Spread crumpled before him was the morning's paper, having only now had the chance to read it, and a chipped mug of tea boiling beside it. He looked and felt, as usual, exhausted. Blonde hair dirty from dust and grime and his not-so-white vest coated with sweat. Still, he had their father's handsome features wrapped up in their mother's kindness. He was a tall man, strong and muscular from his work. By day he helped merchants load and unload goods, the manual labour giving him calloused hands and even sorer feet. In the evenings he took whatever odd jobs he could find: handyman; gardener, even brawler if the occasion called for it. All of which, for the sake of his little sister. Taliesin was a good man, all who had met him could vouch for that, but he was an even better brother.

"Welcome home, fy chwaer i." Taliesin stated warmly, eyes not moving from the headlines. Eirlys smiled anyways, walking over to kiss her brother's cheek in greeting. On the way, she picked up his tattered coat, draping it behind his chair, and straightened out his boots near the fire. He worked so hard to provide for them both. Despite being adults, the world didn't become any less cruel the older they had got.

Eirlys took a seat opposite, inhaling the bold scent of the tea between them which was a nice change from beer and coffee beans. "How was work?" Taliesin finally looked up to meet her eyes, showing genuine interest in his sister's wellbeing. "No more harassment I hope, Eirlys bach, you would tell me wouldn't you?" He questioned. The other sighed in frustration. Despite being a grown woman, her brother couldn't refrain from his over-protective ways. Even so, she loved that part of him. It reminded her of their mother, from what she could remember of her. 

"Fy mrawd i," Eirlys laughed, taking her brother's rough hands into her own. "There is no need to worry so much. I can take care of myself." Reassuringly, she smiled warmly back at his concern, and this seemed to be enough to settle the anxious Taliesin for a while. He returned to the smudged paper, large hands already smeared black, and flicked through the pages once again.

"Did anything interesting happen then?" He spoke, trying at the threads of conversation. The fire crackled lowly in the silence, pleading for more wood to be added to the blaze. Another blaze however, burned at the youngest Llewellyn's cheeks as she fumbled with the hem of her skirt. Despite the normality of what had occurred, the prospect of speaking it aloud embarrassed Eirlys all the same. Yet, she could hide no such feelings from the prying eyes of her brother.

Noticing his usually energetic companion fall quiet, Taliesin lifted his head to see Eirlys red-faced with eyes averted, and grinned slightly. "I see," He began jokingly, folding his paper and abandoning it on the chair beside him. "So Eirlys prydferth has done it again! Who's heart did you capture this time, fy ngeneth i?" If labour had to be Taliesin Llewellyn's day-job, then teasing his little sister was his chosen full-time occupation. 

Eirlys squirmed in her seat as though heated by hot coals. Despite being prepared for his questioning, the mere thought of her capturing the heart of 'Levi, just Levi' made her experience the warm feeling of teenage naivety all over again. Through the rush of blood in her pink ears, she heard her brother's jests continue."Eirlys, rwy'n dy garu di, priodi fi os gwelwch yn dda!" He stood from his seat in his mock proclamation, arms outspread to imitate his versions of events. Yet, his low, thick accent and muscular build were too serious to match the charade. It made Eirlys giggle despite the embarrassment.

The laughter and stories continued on well into the night, the darkness outside forgotten with the warmth shared by the Llewellyn siblings in their small, damp cottage. It had been their childhood solace, and continued to shelter well into adulthood. Yet, the tea had grown cold and the paper was long past read. Eirlys let out a yawn, ready to bid her brother goodnight and rest her aching body. "Before you head off," Taliesin started, rising from his seat and placing a large hand on top of Eirlys' curled hair. He was over a foot taller, and looked down on the woman as though still a child in his eyes. "I have some good news."

-

Levi grunted at the growing pile of paperwork on his desk, silently willing for it to disappear if he ignored it for long enough. The weather was dismal beyond his window, and the atmosphere in headquarters seemed equally as unimpressed. It was days like this where he could use a decent cup of coffee, not that any of the trainee brats could even attempt to make one as good as he'd like. He rubbed his temples roughly, the splitting headache giving him no reprieve from his duties. Every day he had off, he had to make up for it tenfold. Still, he did not regret his visits to a particular tavern in the slightest. 

Though the town was dreary and dirty, houses makeshift and the rows upon rows making streets cramped and stifling, he had a soft spot for the Olde Inn. Not that Levi had soft spots, but perhaps he enjoyed the atmosphere and the strange sweetness in the air despite its bitterly-served coffee. Not that he would admit it to himself, but maybe Levi rather enjoyed the company of a certain waitress too, much more than the other excuses he gave for his more regular visits. She had said her name was Eirlys, not that he could pronounce it properly. He sure as hell had no chance with that surname. Still, maybe that day a few weeks back had meant more to Levi than he had cared to realise.

She'd made an impression on him. So much so that he found himself coming back for more than just the coffee. It was refreshing, to say the least, to have someone speak to him about things other than death and titans. And, she was beautiful. With blonde curly hair that looked pretty despite being stuck to her forehead with sweat, pale skin that rivalled his own and soft green eyes, Eirlys was certainly someone people were drawn to. Levi stared into his tea, thinking of the way she laughed as he had said her name. He wondered what language she spoke, from her accent, and what tea she liked best and what she thought of him, too.

Levi heard footsteps in the halls outside his office, and jeers and the usual yells. The walls of the room were a clinical white, corroded with damp despite his best efforts at maintenance. His desk was small, equally as shoddy due to Survey Corps budget, and one of the legs hit shorter than the rest. It wobbled from time to time, which frustrated Levi to no end. What else was there? Levi looked towards the door, at the hinges that squeaked every time someone entered and at the dent left after Erwin had slammed it a little too hard. This list served to ground Levi in reality. They were the reasons, as such, why he would never be able to have someone such as Eirlys Llewellyn.

The real reason why Levi Ackerman had a soft spot for the Olde Inn, despite its damn good coffee, was because it allowed him to be just Levi. For a brief moment, he wasn't a captain nor corporal, in charge of numerous lives and, as Erwin put it, 'the sake of humanity.' For a couple hours every now and then, he could stare at the girl with the coffee mugs and beer jugs and indulge in the possibility of something he could never have.

Though midday, a grey haze settled over the headquarters, with large, low clouds obscuring any sunlight. It looked as though it might rain, the dew in the air cold despite the time of year. Levi rubbed his tired eyes once again, slumping into the worn leather of his chair and grumpily eyeing at his work. Taking hold of his teacup, perched a little too close to the edge, he brought it to his lips. It burnt on the way down.

Levi's door swung open with a clank, messengers entering and hovering at the frame. With little time to be annoyed, Levi listened as the noise around him grew. Habitual jeers became shouts and footsteps hurried to sprints. Words of walls and titans flooded in, along with the familiar name of a town a little too close to the gate. A gate, as such, that had been decimated, and a town that now acted as the breach for Wall Maria.

And thus, Levi is reminded why he cannot be 'just Levi,' and of the olde Inn's Eirlys Llewellyn, who he could never again visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fy chwaer i - My sister  
> Eirlys bach - Little Eirlys  
> Fy mrawd i - My brother  
> Eirlys prydferth - Beautiful Eirlys  
> Fy ngeneth i - My girl / maiden  
> Rwy’n dy garu di - I love you  
> Priodi fi os gwelwch yn dda - Please marry me


	3. all good things come to a bitter end

"I have some good news." Taliesin announced, standing to tower above his very little sister. Her tiredness seemed to melt away as she listened intently, mind swirling with possibilities. Had he bought her favourite pastry from the bakery this morning? Or perhaps Mrs. Jones from across the street had made them a pie again. Eirlys hoped that was the case, her mouth practically watering with the thought of warm apple pie, especially on such a dreary night as this. "You won't have to work in that dusty old tavern from today, Eirlys." He finished, looking at the other expectedly. The younger's mouth fell slightly ajar at the statement as she stared back at her brother for any traces of lightheartedness. There were none. Taliesin was a man of his word, if Eirlys knew any, so she had no other choice than to accept this news as fact. 

Despite her brother's good intentions, and the respite he hoped to give his sister, Eirlys felt her heart stoop in her chest momentarily. Of course, the sweltering heat and equally heated company left much to be desired, not to mention the unwanted advances she so readily fought. Yet, part of her felt a relentless tugging at her independence. She enjoyed the little things, as such: being able to provide for herself; making customers smile, even if for the wrong reasons, and coming home to Taliesin after a tiring day. With the loss of the Olde Inn from her life ultimately meant the loss of any life she had made for herself. As poor of an excuse as it was.

Thoughts spiralled through the younger's mind like thick cream, clogging any logic she hoped to gather. Taliesin continued his rambles proudly, adopting a persona as if to shelter Eirlys from his cruel interpretation of the world. He'd struck a deal with a merchant, he explained. His hard work, finally rewarded, had secured them passage into Wall Rose and a much comfier lifestyle that would be in store for them. Eirlys all but wondered how Taliesin had remained composed throughout most of their night, now having the chance to impart the excitement onto his unsuspecting victim.

Still, noticing his sister's hesitation, the older brought her into his chest rather suddenly, large but warm arms surrounding her gently. "Eirlys bach, it'll be ok." He soothed, stroking at the curls on her head lovingly. "I'm sorry to ruin your love life but I'm sure Wall Rose has plenty of other, better, suitors." Taliesin finished, the smile, Eirlys heard through his voice, despite being firmly pressed into his embrace. Eirlys would admit, the thought hadn't crossed her mind. But still, hearing mention of it made her think only of one thing, or rather, one person. 

Eirlys Llewellyn had loved before. It was a given for any woman her age. Admittedly, her first was her father and her brother soon followed. Yet, the youngest Llewellyn sibling had given her heart away once or twice, so was hardly a stranger to romance. Except, in the fact, that she was. Part of the reason why Taliesin Llewellyn was considered 'good man, even better brother' was due to this fact. Everyone in the town trusted him, admired him even, yet also feared him. Being as pretty as she was, and naively kind like her mother, Eirlys had encountered her fair share of what Taliesin dubbed 'scum.' Her first heartbreak, at a tender age, left not only emotional scars on Eirlys bach's heart but their physical counterparts for her heartbreaker too. 

Indeed, Eirlys was a beautiful flower who no man now dared to pick. Taliesin made sure of that fact, not that it bothered Eirlys, with the type of men she had the displeasure of being surrounded by. Still, her heart had wilted at the thought of leaving behind one exception. Her stranger, or rather, no longer a stranger anymore. It felt improper to Eirlys to even think his name, as though it were a secret for only her to know and keep. She wondered if he would at all miss her, or even notice her absence if she were to leave. After all, the Olde Inn was but a single tavern in a poor town and her customer was surely meant for greater things. In all the time she'd served there, Levi had been one of but a handful of soldiers who'd visited. And even then, he was the only one to return. She decided that above all she would, indeed, miss him. 

-

It had been snowing that day and Eirlys had a cold. All runny nose, flushed cheeks and glassy-eyed, she tended tables and soothed a sore throat with warm brews. She could have hardly classed as attractive by any means, back then. Thinking of the encounter, she wished she had made a better first impression on him. The door had spat open with a particularly harsh gust, sending more snow and wet into the Olde Inn and making more mess for Eirlys to clean up later. Yet, a man also entered with the breeze, looking equally as cold and distressed, annoyed almost at the brazen nature of the evening's weather.

As he removed the large jacket that seemed to almost swallow him, the man approached the bar, kicking stray frost from his boots and dusting off the chill from his knuckles. Eirlys could only laugh at the display, the hushed giggles causing the receiver to glance back and grumpily meet her stare. He was very handsome, to say the least. The type of handsome that made Eirlys' breath catch slightly in her throat. Nothing like the rough, middle-aged men she was used to seeing all day long. No, he was young and built, despite his shorter frame. Even through the thick layers of materials to insulate from the cold, Eirlys could see how toned the other was - not dissimilar to her brother. Yet, she doubted this man worked in manual labour. And suddenly, Eirlys Llewellyn's flushed cheeks helped hide a lot more than a stubborn cold. 

She honestly didn't realise there were men made so pretty. Sure, Taliesin could be considered handsome, as was her father, but she'd never seen such unique features before. He looked foreign - the type of foreign that was foreign in itself. With sharply grey eyes and pitch black hair, he contrasted the appearances she was used to, that of her family, in almost every aspect. Yet, interrupted, her back was struck harshly, with the large hand on her shoulder pressing a little too forcefully. In a moment of realisation, she stared at the stranger before her, watching her watching him, and blushed a far deeper red. Eirlys' boss leant his head close to her face, so near that she could practically feel his breath damp on her cheek. She shuddered, the weight of his arm around her more oppressive than any winter's chill.

"Eirlys, are you going to take the man's order or will I have to find another girl who will?" Instantly, Eirlys swallowed hard, taking her pen and notepad from her apron and almost running to the man, with the latter seeming if not a little spooked from the stare-turned-sprint. Still, he didn't look at her with the same contempt he held for the weather.

"Good evening, stranger," Eirlys greeted the lone man. "You look cold, can I get you a hot drink?" She met his eyes slowly, his pale skin a little pink from the frost and chapped by the wind, and offered him her warmest of smiles. The man eyed back in return, unsure of the gesture, but abided by the prospect of something to soothe his hands and ease the chill in his lungs. Especially so, if it meant he could stay a while near the fire and watch the pretty girl brazen enough to run to, rather than from, him. And thus, the stranger nodded back at the young server, who sniffled with reddened nose, yet adorned a smile a little big for her face. "I'll have coffee. Black."

-

Eirlys almost felt the ice settle in her bones and warmth spread through her cheeks as she thought back, as though she were once again sickness clad in December, laying eyes on her new customer for the first time. This made her unexplainably miserable. As though a trodden flower, Eirlys suddenly felt like weeping. Even if their home was rather decrepit, losing battles against rain through the holes in its roof, it was still the place Eirlys held her fondest memories. Such the same could be said for her beloved town, and even the Olde Inn, which she usually cursed on her best of days. To leave would be to uproot a stubborn rose, making more mess to the flower bed for one decorative vase.

"Fy mrawd i," Eirlys whispered sullenly, still encased within her brother's warmth. "What, then, would I do in Rose?" Dejected, the younger lifted her head to confront the soft eyes of Taliesin, who truly only wished the best for his sister.

"Tend to its flowers?"

\- 

The stranger cursed his bitter fate for taking him where he most wanted, yet where he dreaded most to be. He'd aided with the evacuation of Maria for the past few hours now, with any hope of recovering the land lost upon first glance. It was titan territory now. Still, there burned an aching anxiety in his chest, settling to rest at the pits of his stomach. The town was virtually a black spot, not too poor to be ignored yet not of enough importance to be missed. The majority of residents had been evacuated already, so he had been told, yet he'd be a fool to think their safety would be anyone's priority. 

This was a devastating blow to humanity, to say the least. Yet, for once Levi thought more on the smaller scale, hoping for a certain spot to be unchanging. Almost lost in a small whisper of nostalgia, Levi made his way past the square and through the rows of houses that seemed to resemble graves, today more so than ever. Despite the dread clawing at his throat, rising higher, he remained calm as he so always did in the face of uncertainty.

The street was deathly quiet, no sign of titans nor bodies. The only trace of what had occurred lay within the dismantled buildings and wistfully rising smoke of long put-out fires. It was as though the village were lost to time. Levi almost expected to see it bustle to life at any moment, chimneys starting their blazes and vendors hounding at him for a purchase once again. Yet, as he turned a familiar corner, the sound of wires zipping and echoing off hollow walls and the clicking of gears resting to a halt, Levi realised things were not how he had left them.

Sat abandoned, the Olde Inn lay broken where it had once stood. Its wooden pillars crumpled inwards as though made from paper and the thick glass windows had shattered beneath the weight, leaving fragments of glass at Levi's feet. Each brick caved outwards from the pressure inside, and dust seeped into the air from its carcass of debris. The place, once a shelter, had become a mass grave that had served its last round. Levi no longer felt the warmth he associated with the quaint tavern, nor smelt the habitual scent of bitter alcohol and coffee lingering. What remained, instead, was a reminder of the reasons why Levi never let himself get too close. He had, once again, gotten burned. 

As Levi turned back to the direction in which he came, his foot kicked at something metal which cried out loudly and rang against the backdrop of silence. It was the rusted tavern sign. 'Welcome to The Olde Inn. Enjoy your stay!' The man stepped over it and continued walking.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback appreciated.


End file.
